WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. announced today the launch of Spot Her—an initiative to end the silence around endometrial cancer, a type of uterine cancer, and inspire women to listen, advocate and put their health and the health of other women first. The initiative is in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support (SHARE), Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE) and Black Health Matters to raise awareness of one of the most common yet under-recognized women's cancers. Uterine cancer is one of the few cancers where both diagnoses and death rates are on the rise, and endometrial cancer accounts for 90% of all uterine cancers. The Spot Her initiative aims to embrace the power of every woman's voice to take a stand on this important women's health issue by providing support through education, resources and strength through community.

"Despite the large number of women affected, discussion around endometrial cancer lags far behind other women's cancers; therefore, it's critical that women of all ages learn about this disease. Spot Her empowers us to be outspoken about this disease for the women in our lives – our mothers, our aunts, our sisters, our friends, ourselves," said Sue Friedman, Executive Director at FORCE. "Oftentimes, these symptoms can be easily overlooked, mistaken for other conditions, or dismissed. It's important to overcome the stigma still associated with openly discussing women's 'below the belt' health, because talking about these symptoms with each other and a doctor could help more women spot the cancer early, when it's more treatable."

Endometrial cancer may occur more commonly in post-menopausal women, but diagnoses are on the rise among younger women between the ages of 20 to 49, when fertility may be an important concern. Endometrial cancer can also affect women across generations, who may be more at risk for the disease due to genetic factors and other health conditions. Some common signs of endometrial cancer may include abnormal bleeding, spotting, or brownish discharge after menopause, as well as irregular or heavy bleeding in women before menopause, and pelvic pain or pressure.

"As a human health care company fueled by our compassion for patients, Eisai is committed to making a meaningful difference by addressing the unmet needs and disparities within the endometrial cancer community," said Teresa Cronin, Senior Director of Corporate Advocacy at Eisai. "Through this initiative with SHARE, FORCE and Black Health Matters, we hope to empower women to 'Spot Her' by listening, identifying and speaking up about what could be endometrial cancer."

"We know that when women come together to rally around a cause, change happens," said Nefa-Tari Moore, Uterine/Endometrial Program and Outreach Coordinator with SHARE. "Together we hope to inspire others to join us as we raise our voices around this serious cancer and give endometrial cancer the attention it deserves."

"Due to the inequality of health outcomes for Black women, it is especially important for them to be able to identify symptoms and seek help. Only 53% of Black women with endometrial cancer receive an early diagnosis, so it is important that they are aware of the symptoms," said Roslyn Daniels, Founder and President of Black Health Matters. "By participating in the Spot Her initiative, we hope to ensure Black women have educational resources to help advocate for themselves and the women in their lives."

Spot Her Symbol and #SpotHerforEC Pledge
To put the spotlight on endometrial cancer, the Spot Her initiative is using a fanny pack as an awareness symbol for this disease. People can help raise awareness or show their support by sharing a photo wearing a fanny pack or using a digital version (which can be found on SpotHerforEC.com) on social media and tagging women in their lives they pledge to spot. For every post shared using #SpotHerforEC, Eisai will donate one dollar (up to $20,000) to FORCE and SHARE which provide crucial support for women living with endometrial cancer.

To learn more about the Spot Her campaign and find helpful resources about endometrial cancer, please visit SpotHerforEC.com.

About Endometrial Cancer
Uterine cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, which resulted in an estimated 65,000 new cases and 12,500 deaths in 2020 in the U.S. alone. Due to health disparities, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for uterine cancers is 62% in Black women compared to 84% in white women. Endometrial cancer (also known as endometrial carcinoma) is a type of uterine cancer that begins in the inner lining of the uterus, known as the endometrium. Endometrial cancer accounts for more than 90% of uterine cancers, and the number of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer in the U.S. has been steadily increasing since 1990. Certain factors may increase the risk of developing endometrial cancer, including increased risk with age, obesity, a family history of uterine cancer or Lynch Syndrome, a high-fat diet and lack of exercise, and a history of irregular periods, among others. When diagnosed and treated early, people with endometrial cancer may have a good prognosis; however, for those with late-stage cancer, the treatment options become more limited.

About SHARE
SHARE is a 45-year-old survivor-led organization based in New York City that provides support, information, and resources to women affected by breast, ovarian, uterine/endometrial or metastatic breast cancer. Its mission is to help women and their families address the emotional and practical issues that arise from a cancer diagnosis and to provide the support these women need to feel less isolated, better informed, and more empowered as health care consumers. Nearly 250,000 times each year, SHARE programs touch women and men affected by these cancers, as well as members of the general public, through support groups, helplines, education programs, and outreach initiatives. SHARE has a focus on supporting women from medically underserved communities. Both Latina SHARE and SHARE's Ambassador Program expressly serve women of color, with a focus on low-income and immigrant women.

About FORCE
FORCE improves the lives of the millions of individuals and families facing hereditary breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal and endometrial cancers. Our community includes people with a BRCA, ATM, PALB2, CHEK2, PTEN or other inherited gene mutation and those diagnosed with Lynch syndrome. We are dedicated to providing up-to-date, expert-reviewed information and resources that help people make informed medical decisions. Our strong, supportive community of peers and professionals ensures no one must face hereditary cancer alone. FORCE serves as a champion, unifying the community and advocating for awareness, access to care, and better treatment and prevention options.

For more information, visit FORCE's website at www.FacingOurRisk.org.

About Black Health Matters
Black Health Matters is a trusted health content and experiential woman-owned firm that offers content and programs to inform and educate consumers, patients and medical practitioners about health, wellness and chronic illnesses impacting the African American community. The platform launched in 2012 prior to the Black Lives Matters movement to support the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. The mission is to help insured and the medically underserved improve their health literacy through self-reflective and evidence-based health content. Black Health Matters (BHM) is today a leading provider of digital health and wellness solutions for African Americans. BHM delivers a highly personalized content experience drawing from touch-points of the African American experience that empower and drive compliance. In 2020 Black Health Matters hosted more than 25 virtual forums and summits on African American health. To learn more visit www.blackhealthmatters.com.

About Eisai Inc.
At Eisai Inc., human health care (hhc) is our goal. We give our first thoughts to patients and their families and helping to increase the benefits health care provides. As the U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Tokyo-based Eisai Co., Ltd., we have a passionate commitment to patient care that is the driving force behind our efforts to discover and develop innovative therapies to help address unmet medical needs.

Eisai is a fully integrated pharmaceutical business that operates in two global business groups: oncology and neurology (dementia-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases). Our U.S. headquarters, commercial and clinical development organizations are located in New Jersey; our discovery labs are in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania; and our global demand chain organization resides in Maryland and North Carolina. To learn more about Eisai Inc., please visit us at www.eisai.com/US and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Eisai Inc.